


Seeds

by SaraJaye



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Bad Cooking, Crying, Dedue has horrible self-worth issues, Dimitri can't cook, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route Spoilers, First Kiss, Flower seeds, Gardens & Gardening, Insecurity, M/M, Post-Gronder Field
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:00:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24238462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: He still doesn't think he deserves such love and affection, while Dimitri is willing to do anything to prove otherwise.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 1
Kudos: 29





	Seeds

**Author's Note:**

> _Author's choice, author's choice, planting the seeds._

They can't believe the change in Dimitri lately, he's almost back to his old self, everyone says. Shadows of the past five years still linger, but he's no longer whispering to ghosts or wishing for the Emperor's death every chance he gets. He shares meals, joins in choir practice, helps with whatever tasks he can, and spends half his free time apologizing.

The other half, he wastes on Dedue. Bringing him flowers, trying to cook for him, asking him to tea, offering to help him with his work. A prince should not be wasting his time on menial chores, but Dimitri insists, and Dedue is uncomfortable. Not because he doesn't appreciate spending time with Dimitri, but because after all Dimitri has been through, it should be the other way around.

_And you don't deserve it,_ that little voice in his head reminds him. _You are a man of Duscur. You're lucky enough to be a prince's vassal, much less to have attended Garreg Mach as a student._

"Dedue?"

"Yes, your highness?" Dedue looks up from the plate of what he assumes was meant to be some sort of egg dish.

"Is something wrong with the food?" It's actually not _too_ horrible considering that a prince was never expected to learn to cook, as well as Dimitri's _other_ affliction that prevents him from knowing what flavors work and don't work together. "Annette helped me, and she's been much better about not causing chaos lately, but..."

"I appreciate the work you put into it," Dedue says as he takes another polite bite. It's nowhere near delicious, but it's still better than when Professor Byleth allowed Caspar to help prepare dinner back in their Academy days. No eggshells, at least, not like the dinner Dimitri prepared the other night.

"I'm glad." Dimitri sets something down on the table before sitting beside him on the bench. "I also found this in one of the gardens, I thought maybe you and I could plant it later." It's a packet of seeds Dedue recognizes well, a rare Duscur flower. His chest tightens and his eyes sting as he sets his fork down and pushes the plate away. There's no way he could have simply found the packet lying around like common carnation or tomato seeds.

"How much of the army's gold did you spend on that?" Dimitri tenses, coughs nervously, and rubs the back of his neck.

"A few hundred more than the professor would have let me get away with if she knew," he confesses. "And I'll have to find a way to make up the difference without her knowing. But even if I do get caught and scolded, it was still worth it." He smiles. "I saw those at the market and knew I couldn't leave without getting them for you." _For you._ Dedue's chest tightens even more, and the prickly sensation behind his eyes intensifies.

"Your highness, I-"

"Dimitri." The prince takes his hand and squeezes it. "It's just us right now. The kitchen staff isn't even watching."

"You shouldn't spend the army's gold on such... _frivolties._ " Dedue swallows, quickly getting up and leaving the mostly-full tray and the packet of seeds still on the table. He leaves the dining hall, ignoring Dimitri's voice calling after him as he runs towards the greenhouse. The gardeners don't bat an eyelash, used to him coming there anytime he needs solitude or comfort.

It doesn't take Dimitri long to catch up with him, though, and he flinches as the prince sits down beside him, resting a hand on his back.

"Dedue."

"I appreciate the gesture," he says quietly, "but it's too much. I..." _Don't deserve it, you dote on me too much, a king should never favor one vassal over all others._ "I should be the one doting on you right now. You've-"

"Don't. Please." Dimitri's hand shifts to take his own. "Dedue, thinking I'd lost you was the one thing that completely broke me back then. It was the professor who made me stop obsessing over revenge, but your appearance made that cloud start to lift," he says. "The moment I heard your voice, that was when I started to feel human again for the first time in all those years."

He doesn't register crying until Dimitri's other hand goes to his cheek and comes away wet. Dedue rarely if ever cries anymore, but the affection and appreciation radiating from the prince's words and recent actions are suddenly too much and he can't stop. Dimitri embraces him, and without his armor on Dedue can feel his tears seeping through his tunic.

They sit there, crying and clinging to one another for who knows how long. It's embarrassing, but also a relief to finally let go of the feelings he's been trying to keep in check for so long. For five years all he could think about was returning to Dimitri, supporting him like he always had.

_But he has always wanted to support me, too, even when we first met._ Dimitri holding out a hand to him, bringing him back to the castle, teaching him how to read and write Fodlan's language. Training together, sharing meals, trying unsuccessfully to teach Dedue how to tend to the horses. Helping Mercedes patch him up when he was wounded during a skirmish with some mages.

_He's been doing so much for you all along, and all he wants in return is to be closer. To be friends, not lord and vassal._

And perhaps, Dedue realizes, it's time to let him.

Dimitri pulls away first, wiping his cheeks before offering Dedue his worn handkerchief.

"I apologize for that outburst," he murmurs. Dedue dries his face, smiling a little.

"I'm afraid it was my fault, setting you off like that." He takes Dimitri's hand. "And I want to apologize for keeping you at such a distance. You mean the world to me, and I've been letting my own self-hatred hold me back."

"You deserve good things," Dimitri says. "I bought these seeds for you because I know there's not enough time or gold in the world to show you how much I care for you, but these seeds will grow into beautiful flowers."

Dedue smiles a little more, stroking Dimitri's still-damp cheek.

"Just as the seed you planted the day you held out your hand to me grew into this."

"And more." Dimitri's lips brush against his palm. "Dedue, when I said I wanted us to be friends, I meant so much more. I want..." He swallows. "I..."

"Dimitri." And for once, he takes some initiative and brings their lips together. Dimitri responds eagerly, and everything else seems to melt away for the moment. _I love you._ Even if neither of them has had the courage to say the words out loud it's been there all along and for the first time Dedue lets himself believe he's worth the hundreds of gold spent on expensive flower seeds, the effort put into making halfway decent meals, Dimitri's anger towards the anti-Duscur soldiers, and everything in between.

The kiss broken, Dimitri takes the bag of seeds from his pocket.

"Shall we?"

Dedue takes out his trowel and begins to prepare a patch of soil. These particular flowers take a lot of care, time, and patience, but the end results will be more than worth it.

_Just like you,_ Dimitri's smile says.


End file.
